United States
                   Environmental Protection
                   Agency 	
Atmospheric Research and
Exposure Assessment Laboratory
Research Triangle Park NC 27711
/ I
                   Research and Development
EPA/600/S3-89/015  Aug. 1989
vxEPA          Project  Summary
                    Precision  and Accuracy
                    Assessments for  State and  Local
                    Air Monitoring Networks-  1987
                    Jack C. Suggs
                     Precision and  accuracy  data ob-
                   tained from state and local agencies
                   during 1987 are analyzed. Pooled site
                   variances and average biases which
                   are relevant quantities to both preci-
                   sion and accuracy determinations are
                   statistically compared within and be-
                   tween states to assess the overall ef-
                   fectiveness and  consistency in the
                   application of various quality assur-
                   ance programs. Individual site results
                   are  evaluated for consistent  per-
                   formance throughout the year. Re-
                   porting organizations,  states  and
                   regions which demonstrate consis-
                   tent precision and accuracy data as
                   the result of effectively administered
                   quality assurance programs are iden-
                   tified. This information is intended as
                   a guide for identifying problem areas,
                   for taking corrective action from the
                   standpoint of improving the effective-
                   ness of quality assurance programs,
                   and for providing more knowledge-
                   able decisions concerning attainment
                   status with regards to  ambient air
                   quality standards. An approach to
                   dealing with accuracy data for
                   individual sites is presented, and an
                   alternative sampling design for gen-
                   erating precision and accuracy  data
                   is discussed.
                     This Project Summary  was devel-
                   oped by EPA's Atmospheric Research
                   and Exposure Assessment Laboratory,
                   Research  Triangle Park, NC,  to an-
                   nounce key findings of the research
                   project that Is fully documented  In a
                   separate report of the same title  (see
                   Project Report ordering information at
                   back).
Introduction
  In accordance with revisions to Appen-
dix  A, 40 CFR Part  58  promulgated
March 19, 1986, site-specific  precision
and accuracy data were submitted as
actual test results for the first full year be-
ginning January 1987. The availability of
individual site data and the opportunity to
assess the performance of specific instru-
ments was cited as a way to improve the
usefulness of the data  quality  estimates
associated with  the  NAMS  SLAMS
monitoring network. The regulations did
not, however, specify how this  would be
accomplished except  that  EPA  would
now be responsible for calculating the
pooled precision and accuracy probability
limits formerly calculated and reported by
the  reporting  organizations.   The
objectives of this  report are to analyze
and interpret individual  site data as  they
pertain to:
1.  Identifying extreme  measurement er-
   rors.
2.  Evaluating  the effectiveness of
   SLAMS quality assurance programs.
3.  Validating models used  to describe
   precision and accuracy data.
4.  Improving decisions concerning at-
   tainment of air quality  standards as
   they relate to specific instruments.
  The goal is  to  provide an overall
assessment of various quality assurance
programs at  the reporting organization,
state, and regional levels. Routine calcu-
lations  are  provided  only to  verify
assumptions required  to  satisfy  the
objectives. Otherwise, routine information
is available through various programs that
have access to PARS data files.

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  Manual  SO2  and NO2 data were  not
included  in this report because  so little
data is available. Also, since site codes
for  1987  were converted to FIPS codes
for  this  report, site-to-site  comparisons
between the PARS data and the National
Performance  Audit  Program  data were
not possible  since  a complete  cross
reference conversion  file  was  not
available.
Data Analysis
  The  primary  aim of this  report is  to
assess the overall effectiveness of quality
assurance programs administered by the
states and local agencies. Accomplishing
this within the scope of current guidelines
for  calculating  precision and accuracy
estimates requires verification of  certain
basic  underlying  assumptions  either
implied or explicitly stated in the models
presented  in  Section  5  of  the
amendments to 40 CFR Part 58. These
models use weighted site averages and
pooled within-site variances to  calculate
quarterly  probability limits  for  percent
differences  of precision data from a given
reporting  organization.  Accuracy  calcu-
lations treat different instruments (ana-
lyzers) for a given quarter and  reporting
organization as having been drawn from a
homogeneous  group of  instruments with
similar statistical properties.  The  95th
percentiles  used for the probability limits
assume that the percent differences are
normally  distributed.
  If it is  assumed that individual percent
differences were taken  from the  same
normal population for  a given pollutant
(and level in the case of accuracy data),
then annual probability limits could  be
calculated  on  a nationwide basis  as
shown in Tables 1  and 2. The  pooled
within-site standard  deviations for pre-
cision  data over all sites and quarters  is
equivalent to the root mean-square error
obtained by applying  an  analysis-of-
variance type  linear  model  to each
pollutant. Comparisons of  site  means
within  reporting organizations, within and
between  states and  regions, and across
quarters  using  F-tests  require the same
basic assumption: that all site variances
are homogeneous. The limits  given  in
Tables 1 and 2  would be  valid in this
case  if assumptions of homogeneity  of
variance  were correct and there  were no
significant  analysis of variance  F-tests.
However, this is an extreme case and
one that  is  highly unlikely to occur. There
may, however, be some reporting organ-
izations,  states, or even regions whose
sites  have equal  bias  as  compared  to
within-site differences.  In  dealing with
quality control data, samples should be in
subgroups that are as homogeneous as
possible  so  that  if  differences  are
present, they show  up as differences be-
tween subgroups rather than as differen-
ces  between numbers  within a  group.
This latter  assumption  (samples  should
be  in  subgroups  that are as  homo-
geneous  as  possible) is  the   basic
premise of this investigation which exam-
ines the effectiveness  of various  quality
assurance programs.

  For precision  data, biweekly samples
for  a quarter determine the basic sub-
group. Variation  within  this subgroup  is
used to detect differences between  sites,
between  quarters for  a given site,  or
between groups  of sites. With regards to
the structure of  higher level  groupings,
the basic  experimental  design for  char-
acterizing  precision data could be con-
sidered as a completely  nested  design
with respect to location parameters (i.e.,
sites within reporting organizations within
states, within regions)  with repeated
sampling (i.e., biweekly measurements)
and quarters  providing  replication. Under
the present model of 40 CFR Part 58, ac-
curacy data does not  provide a  way of
comparing  individual sites. Rather,  site
differences within a reporting organization
provide the  within-subgroup variation to
derive quarterly probability  limits for each
audit level. In the context of experimental
design, accuracy  data also follow  a
nested-like hierarchal structure with  re-
spect to  location parameters, and  quar-
ters provide  replication, but there  is  no
repeat biweekly  sampling.  If analysis of
variance techniques had been applicable
to the PARS data, between-site variances
pooled  across  reporting  organizations
and quarters would provide the  exper-
imental error for making within and be-
tween-state  and  region comparisons at
each separate level.

  The assessment of  precision and ac-
curacy data involves examining the var-
iance of biweekly samples  (between-site
variance for accuracy data) and bias
(weighted averages) as relevant  quanti-
ties to both precision and accuracy  prob-
ability limit  calculations. Bias is  a sys-
tematic error that can  often be adjusted
through the use of calibration procedures.
The variance is  a  measure  of precision
(or rather imprecision) that  is indicative of
random uncontrolled errors that are more
serious. Due  to extreme imbalance in  the
data and  the  need  to  verify  basic
assumptions  of homogeneity of variance,
analysis of variance techniques were  not
used to compare biases between groi
based on location and time of year.
  The approach used to analyze the p
cision and accuracy  data in  this rep
began  with  the  basic  subgroup of sil
(accuracy data) and  biweekly sampl
(precision data)  and worked up the hi
archal structure and across quarters. Tl
provided an independent assessment
the validity of the  assumptions of honr
geneity of variance and equality of mea
as they apply to  calculating  probabil
limits for each group. The assumption
normality  was accepted since all stal
tical tests  used in this report rely to sor
extent on  this  assumption, and since it
difficult to verify this on the basis of 6
7 biweekly samples per site per quar
for  precision  data. For accuracy  da
there was  usually  only one site p
quarter  available  per  reporting orge
ization.
  The basic statistical tools used in tl
analysis are Bartlett's  chi-square test
homogeneity of variance and Welche's
test for equality of means. Bartlett's t<
is  well  suited  to  precision  data  wi
unequal numbers  of  biweekly measui
ments from site to site and accuracy de
with unequal numbers of sites across r
porting organization. It is, however,  se
sitive to departures from normality as w
as to unequal  variances. Welche's F-te
is equivalent to an analysis-of-variance
test when within-subgroup variances a
homogeneous, but it  does not  requi
that  variances  be homogeneous.  Tl
effectiveness of individual quality assi
ance programs should not be judged on
by the width of the probability limits f
various groups, but also by the validity
assumptions used in  calculating  pro
ability limits as  determined  by statistic
tests. As a rule, both multiple comparisi
tests must not be rejected at the «
0.01 significance  level  to show  jus
fication  for  claiming  a real  differem
between  biases or  between  variance
This level was chosen as an extra mea
ure of precaution  to prevent erroneous
rejecting comparisons  as being signi
cant due to the possible lack of normali
in  the data. Since Welche's  F-test do<
not require  that variances be  homo<
eneous, the two tests are independent.
valid probability limit is an indication th
the measurement  system(s) is in contr
and  producing  uniform  results  with r
spect to the group of sites to which tl
probability limit applies. The width of tl
limits can be judged  against the PAF
goals for 95% probability target limits
 ±15% (all precision checks and flow ra
audits) and  ± 20% (accuracy audits).

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                     Table 1.     National Probability Limits for 1987 PARS Precision Data
Pollutant
CO
N02
03
Pb
PM-10
SO2
TSP
N
13347
6410
17018
1247
1936
24908
14909
Weighted
Average
0.09
-0.31
-0.71
-1.63
1.28
-0.87
0.07
Pooled
std. dev.
3.56
5.15
4.65
10.82
6.85
4.31
5.26
Lower 95%
prob. limit
-6.9
-70.4
-9.8
-22.8
-12.1
-9.3
-10.2
Upper 95%
prob. limit
7.0
9.7
8.4
19.5
14.7
7.5
10.3
                     Table 2
National Probability Limits for 1987 PARS Accuracy Data
Pollutant Level
CO 1
2
3
4
NO2 1
2
3
03 1
2
3
4
Pb 1
2
Pb flow 2
PM-10 2
S02 1
2
3
4
N
1004
888
877
6
440
387
380
1336
1238
1226
82
600
572
55
445
1353
1183
1188
105
Weighted
average
0.14
0.34
-0.01
0.00
0.76
0.09
-0.21
-0.81
-0.73
-0.75
-2.31
-0.42
-1.03
4.58
0.10
-0.22
-0.24
-0.35
1.39
Pooled
std. dev.
6.64
3.40
3.17
2.00
9.53
5.42
4.67
6.04
4.96
3.88
2.22
5.29
3.79
4.85
4.74
5.65
5.15
4.82
4.18
Lower 95%
prob. limit
-12.8
-6.3
-6.2
-3.9
-17.9
-10.5
-9.3
-12.6
-10.4
-8.3
-6.6
-10.8
-8.4
-4.9
-9.1
-11 3
-10.3
-9.8
-6.8
Upper 95%
prob. limit
13.1
7.0
6.2
3.9
19.4
10.7
8.9
11.0
9.0
6.8
2.0
9.9
6.3
14.1
9.4
10.8
9.8
9.0
9.6
                         TSP
                                               3963
                                                          0.11
                                                                     3.34
                                                 -6.4
                                                                                            6.6
Precision Results
  The  analysis of  precision data  was
begun  at the reporting  organization level
since according to Section  3 of 40 CFR
Part 58, probability limits at this  level  are
derived  from pooled  estimates   of
variances and weighted means of percent
differences from stations (sites, instru-
ments, etc.)  that  are  expected  to  be
reasonably homogeneous, as a  result of
common factors. Reporting  organizations
' aving homogeneous  within-site  van-
 ices and equal site means were  identi-
fied  on a quarterly basis.  From  this
         group, states  with  homogeneous vari-
         ances and equal means across reporting
         organizations  were identified.  Table 3
         lists  those states  by  pollutant  that
         demonstrated  effective  quality control
         practices because they produced uniform
         results on a quarterly basis.
           As  shown in Table 1, probability limits
         for precision data do not appear valid on
         a nationwide scale under the  assump-
         tions  of  homogeneity  of variance and
         equal means.  However, probability limits
         at this level  do apply to the  examination
         of trends of ambient air quality data
where  acceptable  probability  limits for
reporting organizations may be as  wide
as ± 100%, and homogeneity of variance
is  not  of primary  consideration. Use of
the PARS data for purposes other  than
trends  assessment may require that data
be examined in smaller groups  especially
when  the validity  of  assumptions  con-
cerning  the  uniformity  of  data  is
important.
  Although the requirements for precision
and accuracy data were  not established
for  the specific  purposes of  setting
standards or  determining attainment

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                Table 3.
States with Homogeneous Variance and Equal Means Across Reporting Organizations
Pollutant
CO






N02








03












PM-10
SO2





TSP




State
WV
IN
NM
MO
NE
NE
AZ
PA
PA
PA
WV
FL
OH
OH
OK
MO
PA
AL
AL
NC
TN
TN
TN
TN
IN
OH
IA
IA
AZ
PA
ME
ME
VA
KY
OK
IA
AL
NC
AR
MO
AZ
Qtr.
1
1
3
4
1
2
2
1
2
3
4
4
2
3
1
4
4
1
4
4
1
2
3
4
3
4
1
4
4
3
3
4
3
2
2
2
1
2
1
3
1
N
31
28
15
33
20
20
42
43
38
40
31
13
33
38
29
26
31
10
24
20
22
27
28
28
71
26
27
28
60
45
44
44
69
49
39
54
90
57
34
21
39
Weighted
average
-1 39
-0.76
-5.13
4.03
0.85
1.41
-0.23
0.46
-0.44
-2.48
0.00
7.65
-240
2.90
0.38
-053
-0.54
0.06
-2.71
-1 82
1.03
1.30
1.26
-0.36
-0.50
-049
0.37
0.31
-1.12
-1.30
-2.45
-1.24
-1.66
-4.42
-038
-2.55
-1 23
-044
-386
-1 51
1.11
Pooled
std. dev.
7.12
3.63
3.54
5.14
1.53
1.96
2.33
5.06
6.20
7.16
5.97
6.78
4.83
5.24
3.63
4.36
4.49
4.33
6.47
3.76
2.69
3.20
2.15
3.13
3.38
2.50
2.21
3.35
3.10
3.63
3.59
2.94
4.07
4.76
2.76
4.85
6.99
5.48
5.01
1.92
6.08
Lower 95%
prob. limit
-15.3
-7.9
-12.0
-6.0
-2 1
-2.4
-4.8
-9.4
-12.6
-16.5
-11.6
-5.6
-11.8
-7.3
-6.7
-9.0
-9.3
-8.4
-15.4
-9.1
-4.2
-4.9
-2.9
-6.5
-7 1
-5.4
-3.9
-6.2
-72
-84
-94
-70
-96
-13.7
-58
-12.0
-14.9
-11.1
-13.6
-5.2
-10.8
Upper 95%
prob. limit
125
6.3
1.8
14.1
3.8
5.2
4.3
10.3
11.7
11.5
11.7
20.9
7.0
13.1
75
8.0
8.2
8.5
9.9
5.5
6.3
7.5
5.4
5.7
6.1
4.4
4.7
6.8
4.9
5.8
4.5
4.5
6.3
4.9
5.0
6.9
12.4
10.3
5.9
2.2
13.0
status, the extent  to  which an  ambient
concentration  is nonattainment due to
measurement  error cannot be ignored.
When attention is  focused on  individual
site data, more emphasis is placed on the
attainment of  short-term standards rela-
tive to the performance or adequacy of
specific methods or types of  monitoring
instruments.  Although  precision  (and
accuracy) data may not be directly ap-
plicable to  the determination  of attain-
ment status  to  long-term standards due
              to averaging times and  spatial  differen-
              ces,  the overriding requirements are  in
              conjunction  with the interpretation of air
              quality data. In  this regard, site-specific
              bias  and  imprecision (variance) provide
              basic information  upon  which  to  draw
              inference  or to  simply  calculate prob-
              ability limits. Due  to space  limitations, it
              is impossible to list each  site that demon-
              strated uniform results across the year. It
              is worth  noting that approximately 56
              percent of  the  2528 sites reporting data
maintained an  effective quality contr
program, i.e., one that produced unifor
results for the entire year.

Accuracy Results
  The  basic  calculations for  computir
probability limits for  accuracy  data  a
the arithmetic  mean and between-si
standard  deviation  for each  reportii
organization at  each  audit  level  on
quarterly  basis. Minimum requiremen
for these  calculations  are given  in  <

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";FR Part 58. Pooling of variances across
Barters is not required. However, in the
interest of assessing the overall effective-
ness of various quality  assurance
programs, it  was necessary to expand the
basic calculations to derive annual results
and  to  make comparisons within  and
between states.  In  these  cases,  the
homogeneity of between-site  variances
and  equal   quarterly  averages  within
reporting organizations had  to  hold for
the probability  limits  to  be statistically
valid. Table 4  provides  the  probability
limits  for regions  that  have  uniform
results for 1987 at a given audit level.
  As with precision data, satisfying the
assumptions  of homogeneous  variance
and equal means  is not necessary to the
study  of trends  so  Table  2  may be
adequate for this purpose. The validity of
these  assumptions   is  necessary for
assessing the  effectiveness of  quality
assurance programs.   However,  a  pro-
gram that is  effective at  one audit  level
and  not at  another  is not completely
effective.
  Under the condition of  homogeneity of
variance, the average of the percent
difference across levels can  be  con-
sidered an  estimate  of the  bias  of the
slope of a linear regression  line through
the origin as compared to an ideal slope
of 1.00. This model would apply  to data
with two or  more levels  such as gases
and  analytical  lead results.  The basic
statistical assumption  of  homogeneity of
variance required  for the  validity of using
this  model  on accuracy data can be
tested using Bartlett's chi-square statistic.
Table 5 lists probability limits and slope
estimates for regions  that demonstrated
an effective  quality control program with
respect to  homogeneity of variance
across levels when Bartlett's  statistic was
used.

Analysis of Individual Site  Data
  Using  the models   customarily  em-
ployed for precision and accuracy  data,
there is currently no provision for calcula-
ting probability limits for accuracy  data at
individual sites. However,  if the conditions
of homogeneity  of  variance  can be
assumed to  hold  across  levels, then the
average and variance  of  the percent dif-
ference (across levels) provide estimates
for  calculating  probability limits  for an
individual site. In this case, the average is
an estimate  of the bias in the slope of a
regression line through the origin as com-
pared to an ideal slope of  1.00. For calcu-
lating variance, there  are  only one, two,
>r three degrees of  freedom at  most
depending  on the  number of  levels
audited. An alternative model that would
be  a more objective way of estimating
the slope and consequently the bias is to
regress the indicated  value  onto  the
designated  value. Until  more  research
can  be conducted in this area, the risk
must be accepted that substantial  depar-
tures from  the necessary assumptions
will invalidate the estimates derived from
this latter approach.
Conclusions
  The availability of individual site data is
invaluable  in providing more  detailed
information concerning  the  performance
of site-specific methods and in providing
more informed  attainment decisions  per-
taining to a  specific site.  In  addition,
having individual  site  data  affords an
opportunity to  use statistical  models  to
assess the  overall effectiveness  of
specific  quality  assurance  programs.
Evaluations based  solely on  probability
limits are inadequate for these purposes.
It is evident that some statistical  measure
of internal comparability must be used in
order to  detect  uniformly reliable  preci-
sion and  accuracy data. This is important
for identifying states or reporting organ-
izations that may have difficulty in consis-
tently administering an effective quality
assurance program.
  The results presented in this report are
by no means conclusive. The reporting
organizations, states and regions listed as
demonstrating consistently effective qual-
ity assurance programs were judged on
the basis of the  uniformity  of results
where there was no justification in  claim-
ing a real difference between biases  or
between  the  variances of the  data.  Pre-
cautions  were taken to  reduce  risks  of
committing errors in this assessment.  In
fact, it was in  the verification  of basic
assumptions required to validly calculate
probability  limits that results relating  to
the  effectiveness  of  various quality
assurance programs were  derived.  The
outcome  of  some comparisons  may be
due  to lack  of  normality  in  the data.
Although normality is not  a direct
indicator  of the effectiveness of a quality
assurance program, it  is important  for
statistically testing  the  homogeneity  of
variance and  equality of biases as  a  way
of assessing the uniformity of the data. It
is  hoped  that this evaluation will provide
Regional  QA Coordinators with  informa-
tion to assist in  their review of operations
and quality control practices across the
states in their region.
Recommendations
  In the interest of providing  precision
and accuracy data that is  more  easily
analyzed, interpreted, and costwise and
timewise more  economical,  some con-
sideration should be given to improving
the efficiency of the PARS precision and
accuracy  sampling design.  Recommen-
dations are presented in this  section that
should prove beneficial in these regards
to the PARS and similar data bases.
  With the exception of flow rate  audits,
audits  should  be  performed  on  all
instruments at  two nominal levels on a
biweekly basis.  In effect, there would be
only one set of data rather than two: one
for  precision  checks and one  for accu-
racy audits. This would allow a regression
approach to  be used  in analyzing and
interpreting the data. To make use of the
percent difference  calculation  for  auto-
mated analyzers, the basic requirements
would  be that  the  regression line be a
straight line through the origin, and that
the error about the line be proportional to
audit levels (i.e., homogeneous variance
in percent difference across  levels).  In
this case, levels could be placed near the
extremes providing a minimum variance
estimate of the  slope using the percent
difference calculation.  An optional third
level could be audited at a midpoint once
per  quarter as  a test  for  curvature  if
needed. However, the use of two levels is
best if  the  estimate of a  slope  is  of
primary  importance. Probability  limits
would still be used as an indicator of the
distribution of  the  bias between the
average of ratios and the ideal slope  of
1.00.  Precision estimates  would  be
calculated from  the variance  of biweekly
samples at each level.
  Collocated  data from  manual  instru-
ments would still  be  gathered  on  a
biweekly schedule. This is basically  a
regression  situation as  it exists  since
ambient levels are paired to calculate the
percent difference. However,  the formula
currently used   for  manual  methods  is
approximately  equal  to the difference
between the logs of the designated and
indicated values. Therefore, if  a  lognor-
mal distribution is assumed for the distri-
bution  of ambient particulate data  (which
is a common assumption),  the percent
difference  is  distributed as  a normal
variable around a mean  of  zero  when
there is  no bias. Even  in the case  of
accuracy data,  averaging percent  differ-
ences  as an  estimate  of the slope of a
regression line through zero is equivalent
to taking  logs  of the indicated measure-
ments  in  order to  stabilize the variance

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Table 4.

Pollutant
CO






NO2







03


Pb
PM-10

S02







Table s.

Pollutant
CO

NO2


03
SO2

Regions

Region
3
4
5
5
6
6
6
3
3
3
5
5
6
6
6
3
3
5
4
5
7
4
5
5
5
6
6
6
7
Regions

Region
5
6
3
5
6
3
5
6
with Homogeneous Variance Across

Level
2
2
1
2
/
2
3
T
2
3
2
3
1
2
3
2
3
1
1
2
2
1
1
2
3
1
2
3
2

A/
29
98
50
32
45
56
26
37
50
61
43
42
31
31
18
95
747
66
37
48
20
754
80
277
206
43
32
22
30
Weighted
average
-3.33
0.12
-3.09
0.01
1.61
0.15
-0.98
4.76
2.88
7.90
-7.03
-7.74
0.05
-7.03
-0.57
-0.65
-0.55
-2.87
-2.73
-0.09
-3.03
-0.43
-4.36
2.07
0.52
-7.63
-7.9
-2.78
-0.59
with Homogeneous Variance Across

N
82
127
142
85
80
242
497
97
Weighted
Average
-7.87
0.43
2.87
-7.09
-0.49
-0.59
0.36
-7.85

Slope
0.98
1.00
1.02
0.98
0.99
0.99
1.00
0.98
States and Quarters by Level
Pooled
std. dev.
4.14
2.23
7.15
3.12
5.88
4.74
5.07
7.28
4.82
4.23
5.16
5.49
11.46
4.34
3.66
3.20
3.03
4.93
4.31
3.73
2.74
5.17
6.98
4.97
4.97
7.87
6.28
6.74
6.28
States, Quarters,
Pooled
std. dev.
5.7
5.2
5.2
5.3
7.9
3.7
5.7
7.7
Lower 95%
prob. limit
-11.4
-4.2
-17.1
-6.1
-9.9
-9.1
-10.9
-9.5
-6.5
-6.3
-11.1
-11.9
-9.5
-7.6

-6.9
-6.5
-72.4
-70.5
-7.4
-8.4
-70.5
-78.0
-7.7
-9.7
-77.0
-74.2
-75.4
-72.9
and Levels
Lower 95%
prob. limit
-13.1
-9.8
-7.4
-11.5
-16 1
-6.6
-9.8
-15.9
Upper 95%
prob. limit
4.7
4.5
70.9
6.7
73.7
9.4
8.9
79.0
72.3
70.2
9.0
9.6
22.5
7.4
6.6
5.6
5.4
6.8
6.3
7.2
2.3
9.7
9.3
77.7
70.7
73.8
70.3
77.0
77.7

Upper 95%
prob limit
9.3
10.6
13.1
9.3
15.1
5.4
10.5
72.2
across levels  when  using standard  re-
gression techniques.  Using this approach,
the terms "accuracy" and "precision"  are
quantities  that  refer to  the bias and
variance,  respectively,  of  all  quality
assurance data and  not to two separate
sets of data. This is the usual statistical
interpretation of these terms. Flow rate
audits should no longer  be classified as
accuracy audits for the manual methods,
but simply  as  a check  on the quantity
flow rate since accuracy  (bias)  and
precision  (variance)  are  both relevan
quantities to flow rate audits.
  The regression approach would provide
a single model for assessing all precisioi
and  accuracy  data  on  a site-specific
basis.  Currently, there is no  model  fo

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 xamining accuracy data on a  site-
.pecific basis.  As the sampling design
now exists, sites  are treated as random
for calculating probability limits. For  pre-
cision data, biweekly measurements  pro-
vide the random variation for calculating
within-site  variances, but  at  only  one
audit level. In quality control work,  it is
the  behavior  of the  specific instruments
(sites)  at  different concentration  levels
that  is of interest and not the behavior of
a random  sample of instruments  from
some larger population of possible instru-
ments. This is a weakness in the SLAMS
PARS  system's design that should  be
resolved.

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The EPA author, Jack C. Suggs, is with the Atmospheric Research and Exposure
  Assessment Laboratory, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711.
The complete report, entitled "Precision and Accuracy Assessments for State and
  Local Air Monitoring Networks  1987,'" (Order No.  PB 89-755 246/AS; Cost:
  $21.95, subject to change) will be available only from:
        National Technical Information Service
        5285 Port Royal Road
        Springfield, VA 22161
        Telephone:  703-487-4650
The EPA author can  be contacted at:
        Atmospheric Research and Exposure Assessment Laboratory
        U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
        Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Center for Environmental Research
Information
Cincinnati OH 45268
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use $300

EPA/600/S3-89/015

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